What Is a Global Citizen? How Can Education Prepare Students for the Wider World?

In a world where an economic decision, an international conflict or a technological breakthrough in one country can affect lives elsewhere, academic achievement alone is no longer enough to prepare a student for the future. Young people also need to understand the wider world, engage respectfully with differences, collaborate across cultures and act with a sense of responsibility. These are the foundations of global citizenship.

What is a global citizen?

A global citizen is someone who understands that they are part of an interconnected and interdependent world, respects different perspectives and uses their knowledge and abilities to contribute responsibly to society. Global citizenship is not a legal status, a nationality or a form of “international passport”. It is a mindset, a set of values and a combination of competencies that enable a person to:

• Examine issues from different perspectives
• Understand the connections between local, national and global events
• Respect diversity in culture, religion, gender and opinion
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with people from different backgrounds
• Engage with shared challenges such as climate change, inequality, human rights and sustainable development
• Take responsible action for the benefit of their community

The OECD – PISA Global Competence defines global competence as the capacity to examine local, global and intercultural issues; understand and appreciate the perspectives of others; interact openly, appropriately and effectively across cultures; and act for collective wellbeing and sustainable development.

Becoming a global citizen does not mean abandoning one’s national identity or weakening one’s connection to home. In fact, students need strong roots if they are to engage confidently with the wider world. A global mindset helps them view issues affecting their own country within a broader context, learn from other cultures and contribute more meaningfully to the communities to which they belong. Nor does a global citizen need to have lived in several countries. A student in Vietnam may already be practising global citizenship by understanding how consumer choices affect the environment, checking the reliability of information online, respecting people with different perspectives and helping to address a problem within their own neighbourhood.

Where did the idea of global citizenship originate?

Global citizenship is not simply a twenty-first-century trend. The idea has evolved through several important stages.

• From the idea of being a “citizen of the world”: In the fourth century BCE, the Greek philosopher Diogenes is believed to have described himself as a “citizen of the world”. This idea helped lay the foundations for cosmopolitanism: the belief that people belong not only to an individual city or community but also to humanity as a whole.
• From universal human rights: Following the devastation of the Second World War, the United Nations was established in 1945. In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, setting out fundamental rights to be protected for all people, regardless of nationality or background. This marked an important shift, bringing the idea of shared human values and responsibilities from philosophy into international life.
• From an ideal to a practical capability: Towards the end of the twentieth century, the expansion of the internet, international trade, migration and multinational organisations began to reduce the practical significance of geographical distance. Foreign-language proficiency, intercultural communication and cross-border collaboration were no longer advantages reserved for a small group; they became increasingly important in education and employment.
• In the twenty-first century, climate change, global health crises, artificial intelligence and inequality have made it clear that many challenges cannot be solved by one nation alone. Global citizenship education was therefore incorporated into United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 as part of the international education agenda for 2030.

How is Global Citizenship Education applied in practice?

UNESCO developed the Global Citizenship Education (GCED) framework to help learners contribute actively to more peaceful, inclusive and sustainable societies. GCED does not need to be taught as a separate subject. It can be integrated into the curriculum, school culture, extracurricular activities and community experiences through three interconnected areas.

• Cognitive learning: Understanding the world from different perspectives: Students need the knowledge and thinking skills to recognise how local issues connect with wider global contexts. In the classroom, this may involve exploring climate change in Science, examining historical events from several perspectives or evaluating the reliability of information in digital environments. The aim is not simply to remember facts. Students learn to ask thoughtful questions, recognise bias, compare sources and construct arguments supported by evidence.

• Social and emotional learning: Developing respect and empathy: Understanding the world is only one part of global citizenship. Students must also learn how to live and work with people whose experiences, values and perspectives differ from their own. Cultural exchanges, collaborative projects, discussions about human rights and language learning within a cultural context can help students listen carefully, navigate disagreement and view an issue through another person’s experience. A foreign language then becomes more than a communication tool, it offers a way into another cultural perspective and way of thinking.

• Behavioural learning: Turning understanding into action: Global citizenship education becomes meaningful when knowledge and empathy lead to responsible action. Students might design a project to reduce plastic waste, investigate mental wellbeing at school, participate in Model United Nations, develop a community communication campaign or propose a solution to a local issue. The value of such a project does not depend on its size. What matters is whether students can identify a genuine need, listen to relevant stakeholders, collaborate with others and take responsibility for their decisions.

How can global citizenship be recognised and assessed?

Global citizenship cannot be measured adequately through a single multiple-choice examination. Qualities such as empathy, multidimensional thinking and social responsibility need to be observed over time and across different contexts.

Schools can assess development through three broad categories of evidence:

Four assessment tools are commonly used:

• Competency rubrics: These describe progressive levels of development, from recognising difference to understanding its causes and adapting communication to suit a particular cultural context.
• Learning portfolios: These bring together research papers, videos, project outcomes and feedback collected over time, allowing students to demonstrate growth rather than only a final result.
• Research or capstone projects: These assess how students define a problem, collect and interpret evidence, collaborate, develop a response and reflect on the experience.
• Reflection journals: These encourage students to consider questions such as: “What did I think?”, “How has my perspective changed?” and “What would I do differently next time?”

What are the five essential qualities of a global citizen?

• Global mindset and intercultural understanding: A global citizen can examine an issue from several perspectives, respect difference and recognise that every culture has its own values, communication styles and historical context. A global mindset does not erase national identity. Instead, it enables people to engage confidently with the world because they understand who they are and where they come from.
• Critical thinking and global problem-solving: Students need to know how to ask purposeful questions, verify information, recognise bias and form evidence-based conclusions. These skills help them understand the relationship between local concerns and wider challenges such as climate change, inequality, public health and the social impact of technology.
• Foreign-language proficiency and intercultural communication: Foreign languages provide access to knowledge and create opportunities to connect with people around the world. Global communication, however, requires more than linguistic accuracy. Students must also learn to listen, adapt their language to different contexts and collaborate effectively with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Social responsibility and global ethical awareness: A global citizen understands that individual choices can affect communities and the environment. Whether respecting human rights, using resources responsibly or helping to address a social issue, globally minded students consider not only what they can achieve, but also what value they can contribute.
• Digital capability and adaptability: Students need to use technology effectively, safely and ethically while continuing to learn as artificial intelligence, employment and patterns of human interaction evolve. Adaptability is not simply about keeping pace with every new tool. It also involves selecting technology thoughtfully, protecting independent judgement and ensuring that people remain active decision-makers.

These five qualities are closely connected and should be developed throughout a student’s education. The goal is not merely to help young people study or work in different countries, but to nurture individuals who understand the world, retain a strong sense of identity and use their capabilities to create positive change.

How can parents identify a school that genuinely develops global citizenship?

A school that speaks about “global citizenship” should be able to show how the concept is reflected in students’ everyday learning experiences. Parents can ask practical questions such as:

• Are students encouraged to consider different perspectives, or expected simply to memorise one correct answer?
• How are global issues integrated into different subjects?
• Do students have opportunities to complete real-world projects and contribute to their communities?
• How does the school assess collaboration, reflection and responsibility?
• How does the curriculum prepare students to engage internationally while retaining a strong connection to their cultural identity?

The purpose of global citizenship education is not to produce students who appear “international” or simply speak another language well. Its deeper purpose is to help young people understand who they are, make sense of the world around them and use their abilities to create value. The future does not only need people who can step confidently into the world. It needs people who know what they will contribute when they get there.

How does Nam Uc Scotch AGS develop global citizenship?

At Nam Úc Scotch AGS, global citizenship is not treated as a standalone subject or a title reserved for students who are proficient in English. It is developed throughout the learning journey through the Australian Curriculum, a multicultural environment and experiences that connect academic knowledge with real-world issues.

Students are encouraged to approach questions from different perspectives, analyse information and support their ideas with evidence. Learning therefore extends beyond the retention of knowledge to include independent thought and responsible decision-making. At senior secondary level, the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) continues to develop these capabilities through flexible subject pathways and varied forms of assessment. Alongside examinations, students may be assessed through research, presentations, projects, learning products and reflective work. Through these experiences, they gradually strengthen their ability to investigate, communicate, collaborate, manage time and take responsibility for their academic pathway.

The connection with Scotch College Adelaide also broadens learning beyond the classroom in Vietnam. Exposure to international educational standards and perspectives helps students engage with difference, communicate in multicultural environments and prepare for the transition to universities around the world. At the same time, becoming a global citizen does not mean becoming disconnected from Vietnamese identity. Students need to understand where they come from, value their culture and community, and remain open to learning from the wider world. By exploring issues within school and everyday life, they can begin to recognise how individual choices connect with broader communities. At Nam Úc Scotch AGS, preparing students for the wider world is therefore built around three layers of capability:

• Understand: Develop strong academic foundations, think critically and examine issues within a broader context.
• Connect: Listen carefully, respect differences and collaborate with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Act: Apply knowledge to real problems, make purposeful choices and accept responsibility for decisions.

The goal is not limited to helping students gain an international qualification or secure a university offer. More importantly, they need the confidence and capabilities to adapt, retain their sense of identity and create value in whichever environment they choose. A global citizen is not simply someone who can travel far, but someone who understands what they carry with them and what they can contribute to the world.